Ashes to Ashes
by YupILikeThat
Summary: Ba Sing Se has fallen and the Avatar is dead. Strict colonization of the broken city has commenced, and Crown Prince Zuko is put in charge of the plans. Fu Dong, a peasant girl from the Lower Ring has been captured along with all the other children of the city. Without realizing it, she becomes a part of a shadowy game played between the Fire Nation Royal Family.
1. Chapter 1

Short breathes of hot air billowed behind me as I raced down the street. They were close behind me, but I wasn't in range for their attacks. Men and women, old and young alike were calling for help and shrieking as they were found. I didn't bother to waste my time knocking on the doors of people who couldn't care whether or not I got caught by them. After all, in this world everyone looks out for themselves. Keeping that in mind, I pushed off the grappling hands of young children who had lost their mothers in the chaos. They were young enough to get a new life, to be reconditioned into the obedient mind that fire benders liked. Yet, I still felt a shot of pity for them as I ripped their chubby fingers off my ankles. I tried not to look behind me, as the scene of those pitiful children being scooped up by the traitors would surely break my heart. Increasing my speed, I tried to get more distance between me and my advancers. Swiveling around the corner, I blocked out all noise. All I could hear was the sound of my heels slapping the dirt road, my unsteady breathing and the pounding of my heart.

Ahead of me was the Inner Wall, the first barrier I had to cross if I wanted to escape the city. After that I had to escape into the Agrarian Zone, and still run to the Outer Wall. I almost chuckled at the irony of it; the very wall that was supposed to protect us was trapping us. A frown made its way to my face, as I realized that the Dai Li were just as ironic. After the fall of Ba Sing Se a month ago, the Fire Nation began to colonize. But since the city is already widely overpopulated, the Fire Nation had to think of a way to make space. It had been proclaimed two days ago that any person under the age of 18 years would be required to give themselves up to the government. Many of my friends were taken within the first twenty four hours and shipped off to work in the mines; they couldn't enlist them in the army because the chances they would rebel were high. The younger ones were sent to special schools and brainwashed. By day two, the majority of the Lower Ring had been filtered through, with only a few kids left. Any idiot would have been relieved that they hadn't managed to be caught yet, but being the last of the kids only made you stick out even more; I should've escaped in the first day.

Knowing that I only had a little bit farther to go, I pushed myself even harder. A rock hand lodged itself into the building beside me, jolting me back into reality. Now realizing how real the danger was, how one mistake could mean my freedom, I started to panic. The Dai Li had noticed me pick up the pace and did the same. Since they were far more experienced and trained then myself, a sixteen year old girl who helped knead dough in a bakery, they quickly caught up to me. I dodged the first barrage of aerial attacks the sent at me, dropping to the ground. My eyes widened as I realized my mistake and I hurried to pick myself off the ground and back onto my feet. But just as I was turning to run away again, metal encircled my ankle and caused me to fall flat on my face. Air was forced out of my lungs and my muscles ached. I closed my eyes as they encircled the rest of my limbs. They kept me pinned to the ground as they pulled my hands behind my back and bended cuffs for them. Roughly forcing me onto my feet, one of them gripped my forearms and brought me through the streets.

I was glad no one was here to see me. The shame in me for being caught was tripled as they paraded me through the city. It was saddening to think how fellow human beings could treat one of their own like a slave in their own home. When we started to reach the Middle Ring, I saw others being held like myself. Some of the younger kids were bawling their tiny eyes out, not old enough to comprehend what was happening. Young adults, like me, looked worn and weary; I smiled inwardly, happy that the others had put up a fight. Some faces I knew as I had stayed hidden with them, while others I didn't. We probably lived close to each other, in the same district even, but because of the high population in the Lower Ring I never met them. Noise broke out to the right, and I strained to see around the Dai Li agents. A boy, older than me, had been struggling against his captors. He was promptly pushed to the ground and punched in the face for causing trouble. I could already see the nasty bruise forming on his face, and not wishing the same upon myself, I lowered my gaze.

While the spectacle had been unraveling we were brought up onto the earthbending powered monorails. In less than ten minutes we were taken past the Middle Ring, and into the far grander Upper Ring. Yellow tiled roofs that resembled gold when the sun hit them topped off every grand building. The luxury that the upper class citizens indulged in was disgracing, as many of the Lower Ring had their houses right on the Inner Wall. I can remember the day that the Fire Nation infiltrated the Inner Wall; so many people lost not only their homes, but their livelihoods. And here the nobles lived free from the oppression of the Fire Nation, keeping their vast compounds in exchange for a paltry sum. The roads were paved and gleamed without any dirt visible, due to the fact that everyone could afford shoes. I caught glances of nobles inching their way out of their homes, seeming appalled by the act the Dai Li were carrying out. I scowled at them; their pity was worthless to us now. If they wanted to help, they could have done that when the siege was still happening instead of cowering in their paradise. If not for the situation at hand, I would have drunk in the sights more. Due to my status as a peasant I wasn't allowed in the Upper Ring. Only the elite were allowed to enter the true circle of Ba Sing Se; I had heard rumors that the Avatar himself had visited. But I had also heard rumors that he had been killed by Princess Azula; so I quietly hoped that the rumors were just mid-wife tales.

While I had been in thought, we were brought through a large gate. The Dai Li seemed to have reached their destination; a huge palace that had twin towers pulled out of it. We were only at its stone doorstep; a large plaza that could be two miles long. The building was a beautiful deep caramel, with the insignia of the Earth Kingdom on banners decorating every side of its odd shape. It had what I could only assume were real golden rooftops. Lanterns made of marble lined the walkways, which had green and yellow carpets leading towards the entrance. I had only ever heard of this place from the few tea brewers who had ever stepped foot into it; The Earth Kingdom Royal Palace. At least it was, until the Firelord claimed it for himself. Few people, who weren't the staff, guards or nobles, were allowed in this place. It was supposed to be the spiritual heart of the Earth Kingdom; that was odd though, as few ever actually saw it up close. Once again there was a commotion, but this time it seemed to be everyone gawking and whispering at something. Following their gazes, I saw a fireball launch from the crowd and light an Earth Kingdom Banner. One by one, each banner was set alight and swiftly replaced with a Fire Nation one. After a few minutes the demonstration was over, and we resumed our treacherous walk to the palace.

It felt like I had been walking forever, my feet starting to drag against the unforgiving marble floor. We had entered the palace a while ago, but were stopped and blindfolded. I could only guess that they didn't want us to plan an escape route using recognizable knick-knacks. However the gesture was unneeded; no child would be able to memorize something so obscure. I had tried to memorize which turns we took, and in which direction, but after a while I lost count and began to wonder if we were going in circles. Suddenly my blindfold was ripped off and I was shoved into a dark cell before I could gather my bearings. The hair-tie holding my ponytail together, which had already been loosened by my tiring escape attempt, finally gave up at holding my hair and abandoned me. Steadying my hand against the back of my cell, I looked around. My eyes widened as I realized that they had locked us up in the city's infamous prison. It was made entirely out of metal, bars on the window on the door that allowed us to see outside. A long hallway consisted of this little corner of heaven, with cells lining both sides and my cell stuck dead at the end. This was the worst view by far; all I could see was a large expanse of cold, unfeeling metal with no possible hope for escape. This prison was designed to keep in Earthbenders, and now it held adolescents and toddlers.

Slumping to the ground, I tenderly inspected my damages. My hair had become knotted and was in a current state of disorder, and I couldn't find my hair-tie in the dark cell. The edges of my dark green tunic were frayed and the knees of my pants were badly scraped. I had lost my shoes a day ago, having found it easier to run without them. Rolling my sleeves up gently, I noticed that my arms had turned a bizarre shade of purple where the Dai Li had held me. It clashed against my tan skin, and I began to tear as I realized how pathetic I must look. Touching it slightly, I winced as a fresh burst of pain flared in my arm. My fingers clutched at my knees, pulling them close to my chest instinctively; somehow, I felt if I didn't do that then I would fall apart. So with my hands holding me in, I let my hair drape over my face and tried to dream reality away.


	2. Chapter 2

I awoke to the smell of charcoal. I was not accustomed to the smell and was jolted awake by its potent toxicity. Pushing myself up off the ground, an act that my body strongly protested against, I tried to get a better feeling of what was going on. The sound of a young boy crying reached my ears first, and I looked out my window to identify the child. The wailing came from the cell three up from my left; the poor kid was so small he couldn't even reach the window on his door. The adolescent across from him, on the right wall, was trying to calm him down. He noticed my gaze and quietly called out,

"This little guy started crying out of nowhere! He woke up the guard stationed to our section, and I've been trying to get him to calm down before they come."

Recognizing the fresh welt on the side of his face, I realized he was the boy from before. No wonder no one else was trying to help; they didn't want to get in trouble and only assumed that associating with him would cause some. I understood his predicament and tried to think of something to do. Meanwhile the child's cries grew louder, echoing across the wall. Dark footsteps were coming from down the corridor, telling me that I had little time left. I frantically tried to think of a way to get the child to calm down, the footsteps serving as a clock; one boot after the other. Lost at how to pacify the kid, I whispered back at the teen,

"You try to calm him down. I'll distract the guards."

Three men had rounded the corner; two Dai Li agents flanking someone in Fire Nation attire. He must be a Fire Nation noble placed in charge of this area, as he was dressed rather intricately. The heels of his boots clacked down onto the metal with purpose; I was afraid that that purpose wasn't to invite the little boy for tea. He was getting closer and closer to the cell, and even told the Dai Li to prepare to open it. Furious at the thought that he was going to hurt a mere child, my mouth acted on its own will, yelling at him,

"Fire Nation BASTARD! Get out of our kingdom, you dirty feces eating rats!"

The representative didn't look perturbed, but I could see the Dai Li agents ready to shut me up. But he signaled for them to continue. Biting my lip, I contemplated whether or not to push my luck. The little boy's whimpers were all I needed to muster up some courage though. Continuing my tirade,

"Son of a bitch! Your mother must have been a cow, you ugly ass! Mama's boy!"

This elicited a reaction from the man, one that I was quite sure I didn't want. Pausing for a second, his head turned in my direction and his amber eyes found mine. I couldn't quite discern the emotions that were in them, but they were intense. He waved the Dai Li agents off and stalked towards my cell. The air got thicker and the room hotter as he got closer, smoke nearly peeling off of him. I reached up to hold onto the bars on my window to see if the little boy was okay, but recoiled in pain. The bars were searing hot, as well as the rest of the door. I managed to catch a glimpse of the black-eyed teen with his mouth agape before I backed away from the door. Hiding in the shadows, which had become more pronounced as the hallway seemed to light up with fire, I waited silently. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding, as I was relieved to hear no more crying. But my mere second of relaxation was a foolish, as the door was kicked wide open. Metal clanged against metal as the door hit the wall and rebounded. In the doorway was the noble, who took a step forward and closed the door. With a terrifying creak and final slam, the door slid back into place like a lock.

I did not expect the immediate backhand, as I was still reeling from the fact that he had entered. Falling from the power, my hand rose instinctively to hold my face. Touching my lips, my hands pulled to the front of my face to reveal blood. Moving my jaw, I heard a clicking noise that hadn't been there before. Stunned from being hit so vehemently, I could only stare dumbly back up at my attacker. He was much taller than me, a good six feet and more. His hair was done up in a topknot, and accessorized with a royal pin. My thoughts back tracked for a second and I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat. _Royal _pin? Of course, of_ freaking spirits _course. I had picked a fight with one of Firelord Ozai's own; Prince Zuko. I recognized him from the many wanted posters bearing his picture. What I should have noticed first was his trademark scar which covered nearly the entirety of the left side of his face. It was mangled and a deep red, his left eye was not only rendered useless but scarred almost shut. Zuko was well known for chasing the Avatar, but I didn't expect him to be doing something as menial as prison duty. While I was in awe of my horrible mistake, he had begun to take off his heavy decorative armor.

At the sound of flames snapping at the air around me, I regained my senses. I realized that I didn't want to die just yet, especially not today. So I jumped back on my feet and tried to distance myself so that I would have a better chance of dodging. The Prince seemed unfazed by my sudden burst of energy, almost as if he knew that I had no chance of surviving this encounter. Even I was a little uncertain; I had picked a fight with the wrong person and my fate was now in his hands. One of his hands lashed out at me, locking onto my wrist, while the other that was on fire was swung at my head. I flinched violently and snapped my eyes shut as the flame got closer to my face, hoping that the pain would be fleeting. Instead the hand holding my wrist moved up to my neck and pushed me up against the cold wall. Gasping at the lack of oxygen, my eyes fluttered open and my hands clawed at the prince's iron grasp. At the same time I leaned to the left so that my ears wouldn't be singed by the flame. My legs kicked out at him, worrying as to what would happen if I fell unconscious. Feeble kicks met his abdomen, but he ignored the pain.

"What is your name."

I didn't like the way it came out as a demand and tried to be as uncooperative as possible. My fellow Earth Kingdom people would not hear me cry out for mercy. He gnashed his teeth in irritation and brought the flame next to my ear. Biting my lip so that I wouldn't cry out, I looked up at the ceiling. Every second was searing pain, blisters forming over the sensitive skin. After bloodying my lips for a minute, I relented and hissed,

"_Fu Dong_."

Zuko quickly dropped me, extinguishing his fire and grabbing my hair. He pulled me towards the center of the cell. Still recoiling from the pain of my burnt ear, I nearly screamed as my hair was torn at the roots. Moaning in pain, I tried to pull my hair out of his grip. He ignored my swats at his hands like I was a kitten looking for attention, pulling every now and then to discourage me. Zuko crouched to look me in the eyes, and I could finally discern the emotion in his amber globes; Utter rage. I was sure that by now my brown eyes had betrayed me, and fear shone in them. I tried to look away from his eyes, but every time I lost his gaze he would pull on my hair to bring it back. After while of playing tug-of-war with my hair, he started to talk in a calm manner ,

"You Earth Kingdom scum need to get your pride checked. Especially you, _peasant_."

I swallowed a retort down and tried to focus on something else. My eyes wandered towards the door again, and I wished sorely that someone would come to help. Or maybe Zuko would be whisked away to deal with an important matter. Or maybe a flying goose-bear would come and eat him. I let a small smile cross my lips at the thought, but was jolted by Zuko pulling my hair. He did not look very pleased that I was ignoring him, and threatened,

"Maybe I can take the smile off your face by giving you a pretty scar."

"What, like yours?"

I really didn't know when to shut up. He slapped me again, with his free hand, causing my head to swivel to the side and pull my hair taught. Digging my fingernails into the palms of my hands, I groaned deeply. Zuko looked frustrated that I had yet to scream or beg. But a crooked smile reached his face as he pulled on my hair again. In his free hand was a sharp flame, which resembled a blade in shape. Without falter he brought it vertically across my hair, shearing it. The smell of burnt hair filled the cell, and I gasped. He had cropped it close to my head, the ends singed and burnt. Zuko still grasped what had been my hair, a good five inches of black strands, and said mockingly,

"My, my. That's quite a lot of hair. Must have taken years to grow out."

He set fire to the remains and smiled wickedly,

"Oh, well. Ashes to ashes."

I tried not to cry over such a stupid thing. But tears threatened to escape my eyes anyways. _It_ had taken years to grow out, and I couldn't afford to tie it up like the girls in the Upper Ring. Seems silly to cry over hair, but that isn't exactly what made me so upset. It was everything else that I had endured in the past month that had finally caught up to me. I didn't want to cry in front of the enemy, such an act would surely disgrace my name. Fat tears fell without my consent and Zuko simply relished in my pain. Leaning in close to my ear, he breathed,

"Guess now you're nothing but an _ugly bitch_."

I wanted to give up on hitting him back. I just wanted this whole ordeal to be over with. I wanted the ability to cry in peace, to mourn the loss of my kingdom. Wiping my eyes in haste, I chastised myself; it does no one good to cry at a time like this. Glaring at the older boy, who had been busy wiping the ashes of my hair off his clothes, I hissed,

"Fire Nation _swine._"

Narrowing his eyes he retorted,

"No lady speaks like that. You're either a whore or a whore's son."

Spitting in his face, I bared my teeth at his foul language. I half expected the spittle to sizzle off his face, but the actual reaction was worse. He slowly pulled up his silk sleeve to wipe the fluid out of his vision, delicately dabbing his one good eye. Frowning at me, I got the distinct feeling that I shouldn't have done that. His muscles coiled up and then stroke out like a snake, his arms pushing me to the floor. He snarled into my face, with an aggressive tone,

"Let's check!"

My left shoulder hit the floor hard and sent a jolt of pain up my spine. A grunt of pain escaped my mouth, and I scooted out from underneath him. Leaning against the back wall of my cell, I cradled my limp shoulder with my right hand. His words only just started to be processed as he leaped at me again, reaching for my shirt. Ripping my collar, he tried to pry open my shirt. Alarmed, I right hooked him in the face, to which he slightly faltered. But his hands still held onto the green fabric, not willing to let go. He continued to rip from the collar to my navel in jagged line. After Zuko had nearly ruined my tunic, he put his hands through the gash he had created. Still punching and kicking, I felt him reach for the tie to my sarashi at my back. I held back a whimper, a feeble noise escaping my lips,

"L-leave me alone."

Zuko scoffed at this, as if outraged that I dare make such a demand. He took his hands out of my tunic, though. Placing them on either side of my head, he hid the door with his looming body. My heart raced as I tried to think of a way to deter him from the task on hand. I hadn't expected the Prince to try and determine my gender, but I wasn't surprised that the situation had escalated like this. It's not like there weren't stories about what the Fire Nation did to their prisoners, especially the female ones. But I thought the crown Prince would have a little more decorum and wouldn't stoop down to such an indecent low. Zuko seemed perturbed by the lack of action happening and demanded,

"Then you take it off."

Not sure how to react to such a wild demand, I settled for no words. Instead I moved to shield my chest. This was probably a Fire Nation tactic; he was playing mind games, not having advances upon me. I would never be able to bear the shame of such an act, and it would horribly damage the pride he so hated. Zuko gripped my bad shoulder harshly, bringing his voice to a tempered whisper,

"You do it, or I drag you out of your cell and have everyone watch as I shame you."

Shaking from the threat, my mind scrambled to answer the ultimatum. On one hand, I would never disgrace myself in such a way. On the other, I questioned whether or not he would actually pull me out of my cell and in front of the others. I wanted to doubt that Zuko would do such a thing, but I only had other people's sad war stories to attribute to his character. How he ruthlessly burned a village to the ground just to find the Avatar, or held innocents captive in order to draw the young master out. My thoughts scattered as I was roughly pulled to my feet. Zuko had decided that I had had enough time to choose, and that I had chosen the latter. Realizing he was serious, I gave in and said,

"Fine. I'll do it."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my body down, asserting that it was better to do so in solitary then involving all the children. It would greatly lower their morale to see someone older, and supposedly stronger, than them be humiliated. Pulling what remained of my tunic over my head, I turned around so that he wouldn't see when I removed my sarashi. A hand on my shoulder steered me back to face him, as Zuko said,

"No, in front of me."

This only confirmed my theory that this was a mind game made to humiliate and dehumanize me. Slight tremors shook my hands, something I'm sure did not go unnoticed by Zuko, as I reached behind myself to untie my bindings. I tried to buy myself time to think of a plan by going slow, but this only caused Zuko to take a menacing step forward. I got the knot loose and before I could unwrap the bandages, I pointed behind Zuko and exclaimed,

"Look, it's the Avatar!"

He didn't turn around like I had hoped; instead he reached out to pinch my wrist into his iron clasp, growling,

"I don't have time for this."

He thrust me on the floor, and straddled my waist as I fought back. Zuko proceeded to twist my arm and force me onto my stomach. Keeping me in check by pulling back on my bad arm every time I bucked, he undid my bindings with a dagger. Despite my protests, which consisted of several mean-spirited oaths, he flipped me onto my back and pulled my arms away from my body. Shrinking beneath him, I flushed as my chest was left exposed. Zuko kept his eyes steady on mine to gauge my reaction. I didn't cry again, but my face contorted in humiliation. Even though no one was staring at my chest, not even Zuko, I still felt disgraced. Neither of us said anything, Zuko deep in thought while I was too embarrassed to speak. After a while his body weight shifted, and I saw him start to remove his outerwear.

Cowering in fear, I shut my eyes and covered my chest, whimpering,

"No!"

To my surprise he did not continue that line of torture. Instead he kicked me hard in the gut. Stunned, I felt him throw something on top of me. Before I knew it, he had donned his armor once again and slammed the door behind him. Grasping the coat that Zuko had thrown my way, I quickly put it on. Making sure that I wrapped the belt tight so that no one would see my chest, I struggled to my feet. Looking out of my cell window, I saw Zuko call out to one of the Dai Li agents,

"No rations for a week. And get her a shirt."

Grimacing, I knew that everyone would either know what had transpired in my cell or blow it wildly out of proportion. Collapsing from both mental and physical exhaustion, I fell to my knees. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold out in this hell-hole, but I did know one thing. _I didn't scream or beg once_. So even though I had been left humiliated, a small part of me counted this as a win against the tyranny that was the Fire Nation. Long after Zuko had left, the teen from before called out to me,

"Hey, you okay?"

I forced myself onto my feet, unsteadily trying to put weight on both appendages. Letting out what I hoped was a believable smile, I responded,

"Yes."

The boy didn't look convinced. He decided to push a little further, probably to see if I wanted to talk about it. His green eyes revealed his worry before his words did,

"Are you sure? He didn't-" The young man hesitated, unsure if he would offend me,

"He didn't do anything to you, right?"

I was both relieved and troubled by his question. It revealed that no one actually heard what was going on inside my cell, giving me comfort that none of the little ones had to hear. But Zuko's request for a new shirt for me would only bring unwanted questions; like what happened to my shirt to begin with. Thankful to have a friend in this prison, although one that had been branded an outcast since his outburst, I reassured him,

"I'm fine; just got smacked around a little bit."

The boy wasn't completely assured but left the topic, knowing that I wouldn't want him to pursue any further; at least until I was ready. He offered his name,

"The name's Jin Ho. What's yours?"

"Fu Dong."

Jin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, adding to the chaos of his cropped black hair. But as soon as he did, snapped back down to his side, as if he had remembered something sour. Blinking at the odd act, I recoiled just the same as him as soon as I realized it. My hair was an uneven and burnt mess; the texture odd as I ran my hands through the unfamiliar landscape. It was a permanent reminder of my confrontation with the crown prince of the Fire Nation. Maybe when I escaped from this prison, I could use it to boast that I survived meeting Prince Zuko. Then again, it was uncertain whether or not we would be saved. The Avatar was reportedly dead and it wasn't like I was planning to wait for the next one to pop up. Even if the Avatar wasn't dead there was no promise that I would live long enough for him to rescue us.

Wait, I'm from the Earth Kingdom. I don't need an Avatar to save me, especially one who winds up getting himself killed. With assertive thoughts, I contemplated escape. I would have discussed it with Jin, but I didn't want risk the guards overhearing my plans.

Fatigue riddled my body and I absolved to think about escape after some rest. Slowly easing my body down onto the hard floor, I cringed as my bones creaked. Settling onto the ground, I laid on my side. Wincing as I felt a sharp object prodding me, I sat up and patted myself down. The offending object was hidden in one of the coat pockets, and after holding it close to my face, it was revealed to be a dagger. It was an odd thing to carry in your coat, considering that is was both dangerous and expensive, by the looks of the pearl embedded in the handle. Watching the little light in the cell reflect off it as I turned it around in my hands, I tested its weight. It seemed light enough for me to use, but I was not fooled by such an incongruity; if the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation kept it with him, then it was not to be used loosely. On both sides of the dagger were inscriptions; but it wasn't in any language that I knew. Hiding it in the waistband of my pants, as the prince would most likely want his coat back, I fell victim to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The grating sound of doors slowly being opened woke me up. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I surveyed the situation. It dawned on me that the prisoners were being let loose. Mouth ajar, I watched as one of the Dai Li agents opened my cell as well. I almost fell, not from shock at the action, because I had forgotten the beating my body had gotten; now it was so sore I could barely move without flinching. It appeared that the prisoners were being let free to move around for some time; guards were still stationed by the hallways leading to any exits. After walking out of my cell, I felt the strong desire to go back in. I was met with stares, as well as glares, from nearly all the older kids. Sheepishly turning away, I searched for a familiar face. The boy that had been crying was now playing with the other little ones, guarded closely by a group of older girls. The adolescent boys had formed several small groups, not meeting together completely so as to not draw attention to themselves; after all, the Dai Li would think that they were conspiring. Jin Ho appeared behind me, causing me to jump in surprise. Many of the older boys turned towards me at this action, one of them scoffing,

"Nice necklace."

Clasping at my neck, I ran my fingers along the bruise. Without a doubt it was a nasty purple, warranting attention at every angle; the prince's fingers were finely etched on my skin. Scowling at him, I tried to ignore the snickers and turned towards Jin Ho. He had that worried look on his face again, and it baffled me how he could be that same rowdy boy from yesterday. He pulled me to the side, away from the eyes of others, and it wasn't until a few moments later that his shoulders relaxed. Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I pondered what I had done to deserve the malice of others; in fact, I should be looked kindly upon since I had deterred Zuko from harming the young boy! Jin Ho seemed to notice my current state, and took it upon himself to educate me,

"Everyone thinks that something happened in that cell."

Before I could sarcastically retort, "No, you don't say?" Jin Ho cut in,

"They think you're helping them."

He casually nodded to the jacket that I donned, causing me to self-consciously tighten the belt, adding,

"It's not much of a stretch, considering what you're wearing."

Well, I knew that most people would wonder why I was wearing that bastard's silk jacket, but I didn't think they would believe I was a traitor.

"Why would I be helping the Fire Nation," I started, before lowering my voice, "and why would the Fire Nation starve someone who is helping them?"

Jin Ho looked incredibly uneasy, treading lightly with his words,

"Think of it from their point of view; they couldn't hear anything from your cell."

My mind, which had been trying to comprehend the thoughts of my comrades, finally understood. They, my own people, thought I had traded something in return for luxuries such as silk. But they knew as much as I did that I had no substantial information to aid the Fire Nation in their conquest. So what could I trade for the favor of my enemy? My stomach turned sour as I realized what they thought I did. I finally understood why I was met with only inhospitable gazes. Sputtering from the sheer idiocy of it, I questioned,

"They couldn't think that low of me! That's ridiculous!"

Even as I said it, I knew why they would believe such a fable. I had been rid of a substantial article of clothing, and was donning the traitorous color of the Fire Nation. Jin Ho only looked pitifully at me, understanding the predicament I was stuck in; unknowingly by saving that little boy, I had been made into an outcast. My hands shook and in an attempt to stop the tremors, I balled them into fists. Did I look like I would do that, like I would sleep with the enemy for some materialistic gain? The boys from before had started getting more confident with their insults, stating them out loud for all to hear.

I brushed past Jin Ho, and pulled down my collar to reveal my neck, hissing,

"Does it _look_ like I was willingly helping the Fire Nation?!"

One boy, emboldened by the act of confrontation, ruthlessly fired back,

"Maybe you like it rough."

If anything the resulting fight was caused by the aforementioned boy. He was different from everybody else in that his skin was much darker and his eyes were blue; I realized later that he was from the Water Tribes. But during our scuffle, nationality and things such as skin color were forgotten. All I cared about was getting as many deep gashes into his self-centered face. I pulled on his hair, taking out a considerable chunk of his long locks. As Jin Ho encircled my waist with his arms in order to pull +me back, I couldn't help but stare at my hands. The sight of those strands caused an unhappy memory to surface. _Ashes to ashes_. Jin Ho had turned me around, and had taken to shaking me after I hadn't responded to his first few questions. He was now kneeling across from me, trying to get me to stand and walk away. Slowly I returned to the present, and I shook my thoughts free of the past; the memory had left a sluggish almost queasy effect on me. Jin Ho was staring fiercely into my eyes, asking again,

"Are you alright?"

I'm fine, I lied back. Jin Ho told me that I had been crying; and that was the truth, as suddenly, as if they hadn't been there before, I could feel the tears gliding down my face. What was wrong with me? The boy I had been fighting with, Hahn, was now yelling in disbelief,

"You ruined my hair! Don't you know who I am?!"

I brushed his fallen strands to the side quickly, so that the others wouldn't see how attached I was to them. Rising quickly, so that I could trick my body into thinking that there was no more pain, I patted myself down. Adjusting my- the bastard's jacket to a less revealing state, my hands skimmed over the dagger at my waist. I swallowed down the feeling that the walls were closing in on me, and turned to face Hahn. Throwing him the most unnerving look I could muster, I asserted,

"Don't you mean who you _were_?"

The spectacle had aroused the curiosity of the guards, who were watching the scene play out from a distance. Not wanting to get into any more trouble, I left Hahn as he was and turned away. A rock met the back of my head, and I whipped around to see the little boy from before. His features were still round and supple, and his teeth were not completely grown in. He was holding several more rocks, and shouted at me,

"Traitor!"

I frowned, as that's all I could do. I wasn't going to hit the poor boy, who was likely to believe any story he was told. It wasn't his fault that he looked up to the other boys; it wasn't his fault that he didn't understand. And yet, even though I didn't wish harm on him, I wished everyone would just disappear. I needed a moment to collect myself, to think the situation through. But not time was given to help me reign in my emotions, as the word started to be echoed. Even the small and meek girls that had been tending to the little kids were softly voicing the spiteful malediction. Jin Ho was busy keeping Hahn at bay and couldn't help me.

I was alone. And I needed to think fast. The only way to get the people to trust me once more, the only way for them to see that I meant the Fire Nation as much harm as they did was to do something they would recognize. And Earth Kingdom people liked nothing more than to see the Fire Nation beat. Keeping this in mind, I raised my eyes and approached Hahn. Lifting him up by his collar, I pulled him close and said,

"Fight me, you water rat!"

His fist connected with my face as he pushed off the ground for momentum. Knocked back, I pushed my arms out to my sides in order to restore my balance. I tried to sweep him off his feet, but he held sturdy. _Damn, he must have been trained_. Ignoring the sudden doubt that flashed through my head, I held steadfast to my plan. Punching Hahn straight in the gut, I winded him long enough for me to land another hit. I drove my knee into his side, and he collapsed. I jumped on top of him and placed my hands around his neck. His eyes shone with fear as he felt my fingers caress his skin. I shook his head back and forth, to imitate strangling him. I could faintly hear Jin Ho protesting in the background, as well as some Dai Li shouting. White noise followed as I was jerked off of Hahn and into the arms of guards. They pacified my with a swift jab to the neck and handcuffed me. As they lead me down the hall, we passed Jin Ho. He mouthed a question,

"What are you doing?"

Giving him a unsure smile, I mouthed back,

"Restoring my honor."


	4. Chapter 4

I was tied to a chair in a metal room and left alone without a single word. Huffing from the fight, I thought about what would happen next. Without a doubt I would be tended to, and swiftly punished for my digressions. My wrists were chafed even more, still healing from the torment that had been subject to before. I silently passed time, impatience riddling my entire being. All I had to stare at was the blank walls, and I tired of that quickly. I wondered if Jin Ho was alright, as I had left him in the middle of quite a mess. I would have discussed my plan for redemption with him; however, my window of opportunity had been small. The Prince would have found out sooner or later that he had left his beloved blade in my hands. I tried to send an apology to Jin Ho, and promised to convey my want for forgiveness in person. At least, if all went well with my plan then I would be fine.

My head snapped to attention as the door closed. I berated myself for not noticing the arrival of the young man, as I had allowed myself to be caught off guard. I recognized immediately that it was the Prince, as the room grew warmer in his presence. He was once again outfitted in the extravagant luxury that royalty flaunted, his robes intricately embroidered. Zuko seemed slightly surprised to see me, dryly commenting,

"I had thought that you had learned from our last encounter. Or perhaps you just were too eager to see me again?"

I ignored his attempt at getting a rise out of me; it seemed that he was angrier than before. I had expected that, like last time, he wouldn't waste time on words. However something was bothering him enough to want to take out his anger on me. Instead of giving into my growing urge to snap at him, I averted my eyes from his entire being. Zuko took a couple steps forward, each movement with purpose. I bided my time, willing the nervousness to go away; I had a plan and as long as I stuck to it, I would be okay. Fiddling with my restraints, I found it marvelous how the pain I once felt now didn't seem like much. Perhaps that was a bad thing; getting used to the hurt. Zuko knelt down in front of me, loathing the fact that I wasn't talking. And in truth, I just didn't feel like conversing with a murderer. A shiver went down my spine at that thought, and my mind went ablaze with questions; what is Zuko going to do as punishment? Simultaneously I clenched and relaxed my jaw, in an attempt to keep my nerves at bay. I felt a hand hover over my head, flinching when it grasped my shorn locks. Zuko buried his hand deep in my hair and pulled up my head so that I had no choice but to stare into his eyes. They had the same fire in them as before, and his lips were curved up tauntingly,

"Perhaps my lesson worked too well?"

My spirits fell and I wanted to spit venom at him for his insinuation; I wasn't so afraid of him that I couldn't speak. I was just biding my time. His hand released my head and I stubbornly held his gaze. His long digits traveled from the skull down to my neck, caressing it lightly. I tensed as he lightly brushed the bruise, wondering when his hands would clasp around my neck once more and finish the deed. His lips parted again, almost whispering,

"Purple doesn't suit you at all."

By that time I lost control of my body, and it acted on impulse. My nerves were sending my body into survival mode, and adrenaline pumped through my veins. Taking one leg, I swung it up and took advantage of Zuko's crouched form to land a low blow. He hissed as my foot connected with his crotch, and hunched over in pain. Forcing my weight onto my legs, I stood up and rammed the chair head into his face. Zuko, caught off guard by my dirty tactics, had to take a couple moments to regain his composure. His hair was falling out of his top knot in pieces, framing his face with angular ebony. I struggled against the ropes that kept my arms tied firmly behind the chair, angry that I had reacted so rashly. I still hadn't freed myself from my bonds and had just angered the brat of the Fire Nation. He blew a piece of hair out of his face, only for it to fall back into place. He sneered at me and started,

"You know why I'm here."

I was befuddled at that comment; of course I knew. Wasn't he here to punish me? My eyes narrowed and I thought harder for the deeper meaning. No wait, something had been bothering him; a fight, a person, an object? _The dagger!_ He had been looking for the dagger I held in my possession. It had to be important for him to worry so much over it. Then it dawned on me; he wasn't supposed to be in here. If he really had been so upset then he would have slammed the door like before. But he had been too quiet, and it is just occurred to me that he was talking in hushed tones. Of course royalty wouldn't have to deal with such a minor issue such as a prison fight. He had probably snuck in here while no one was looking. If that were true, then how long until the real officer sent to deal with me arrives? That didn't matter as much though, because as of right now I had the upper hand. I had what he wanted and he had put himself into egregious situation. Realizing that Zuko was still expecting an answer, and I had been so caught in my thinking that I hadn't noticed him take long strides forward, I attacked,

"You aren't supposed to be here."

Zuko looked genuinely surprised, which I took with offense. Just because I am from the Earth Kingdom doesn't mean I can't think logically. However that quick weakness was soon discarded, and he crossed his arms smugly. A battle of wills commenced and he stared deeply into my eyes, as if trying to discern how much I truly knew. He had such a powerful presence that I began to doubt myself; had I just rushed to a conclusion? In truth, I hadn't expected Zuko to arrive. I was waiting for someone unimportant, like a soldier, to come. Zuko was now an unknown variable haphazardly tossed into my equation. Maintaining a regal air, Zuko leaned against the wall and hunched over me. He looked inquisitively at me, questioning,

"Well, you seem to know why I am here, but why are you?"

_W-what?_ I thought internally. I had expected him to request his dagger back, but instead he read me like a book. Apparently he was much quicker at deduction than I was, and had already sensed an ulterior motive. I stood still, anticipating an attack at any moment. Zuko reached a hand out towards me, and despite myself I shook. Images of flames sped through my mind as I flinched violently. Zuko's expression did not change and instead he put his hand back towards his side. He spoke once more, in what seemed like a wandering thought,

"You are still recovering from our last encounter. There wouldn't be any reason for you to cause trouble, at least not while knowing there might be a chance I would respond."

True, I wasn't eager to face him again. Not again as in at this moment, but again as in ever again. Zuko had really shaken me up, physically and mentally. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but last night had affected me a great deal. I had been praying on my way to this room that I would have the luck of being dealt with by a Fire Nation lackey, rather than this prince. His face darkened as he spoke words with hidden promise,

"After all, even a dog knows better than to tempt the hand that beats it."

Swallowing hard, I tensed my shoulders in order to keep alert. The warmth in the room made me want to sleep, but I knew that my safety was not ensured if I did so. So instead I waited for Zuko to make the next move. I had been mistaken when I believed I had the upper hand; Zuko controlled the situation with ease, careful not to give anything away. I berated myself for acting prematurely, as my plan was now going south. There were so many flaws in it and I hadn't accounted for them properly. Obviously I was not in the position to barter for the freedom of my people with his dagger, and the dagger probably wasn't _that_ important to him. I had put myself into a position where only an undesirable fate awaited me.

Zuko had left a question lingering in the air, concerning my puzzling behavior. I fought with Hahn in order to get some alone time with a Fire Nation soldier. My hope had been that I would be able to overpower the soldier and…I bit my lip as I realized I had to discard the plan. Opting for a different approach, I fingered the dagger in my waistband. Thankfully the fight with the prince allowed the dagger to get closer to my fingers. Straining to reach it, my hands firmly grasped the hilt and pushed it up. Laying it on the coarse rope that bound me, I checked to make sure Zuko hadn't caught on. He was once again leaning against the wall, staring intently at me. Pretending to relax, I sat down and continued to saw at the binds. My hands rushed to make haste of freeing myself, but just as I was about to cut free a shadow advanced.

"Do you think I'm that stupid-"

His words were cut off as his dagger skimmed the surface of his neck. Zuko's eyes narrowed and looked down on me accusingly. Just before Zuko had pushed me against the wall, in such speed that I didn't have time to get out of the chair, I had freed myself from the rope. One of his hands was wrapped around my left shoulder and the other was positioned on the right side of my face, so that Zuko could rest his weight. His face was close, locked in a sneer with his head titled slightly up; his neck was long and only a hair's width away from being split open. I hesitated at the close proximity, each etch and line of his infamous scar startlingly visible. But I knew that if he even sensed that I didn't have the guts to use the dagger correctly, he would not hesitate to strike me down. So I steeled my gaze and steadied my voice, announcing,

"You asked me why I had started a fight." I pushed the steel tip closer to his Adam's apple, "So that I could get the chance to _kill_ one of you Fire Nation bastards."

Zuko merely glanced down at me, apparently not impressed. His eyes focused on the dagger, but he did not tense up, suggesting he wasn't afraid. Furrowing my brows, I wondered what he was thinking of. Upset that he had yet to show any signs of fear or weakness, I let out a warning,

"I guess you'll have to do."

Why not him? If anything Zuko was the top Fire Nation bastard in this prison. Taking him down would surely restore my comrades' faith in me. With that I drew blood from his neck, trying to hide my disgust. His eyes leveled with mine and he flexed his neck, forcing more blood out of the tiny cut. Amber globes stared into my soul, as I held my mouth agape at the act. Before I could question why he did such a foul thing, his muscles relaxed. Blood trickled down from his neck and disappeared under his robes. Returning my eyes to his, I tried to maintain my composure. Zuko clicked his tongue and admonished,

"That's enough of that."

His hand clutched mine and pulled it away from my body. Smashing my knuckles against the wall once, he loosened my grip on the dagger and forced it to fall from my hand. It clattered on the floor, too far for me to retrieve it. Hissing from the smarting pain, I resisted the urge to rub my hand. Zuko still held my wrist above my head, pulling so hard I was afraid my shoulder would give. Zuko had used his cut as a distraction, succeeding in disarming me. In fact it had been so quick and effortless, that I realized he had been playing me from the beginning. Much like a cobra, he looked relaxed before striking hard and fast.

I pulled my arm, desperately trying to free it from Zuko's grasp so I could retrieve my weapon. Zuko slammed his palm on the wall next to me, sparks flying from the impact, and stopped anymore futile attempts at escape. Spasms of shivers wracked my body, as it clearly remembered last night's predicament. Biting my lip, I furrowed my eyebrows. Zuko interrogated me again,

"What makes you so eager to fight back now? Last night you weren't as uncooperative-" A dark smile stretched his lips, "Well, I think we both know what happened last night."

I was growing tired of being unable to do anything. The mere thought at what the Prince would do to me rendered me incapable. This heavy cloud of fear was suffocating me; even though I tried to move past the traumas of last night, the memory still affected my body. How could I do anything with my body betraying me constantly? Eyes narrowed in frustration, I released in a tirade,

"Everyone hates me now, and it's your fault! I wish the Fire Nation never attacked Ba Sing Se! I wish that the Avatar hadn't died, and I wish most especially that you were never born. If none of this had happened, then, then…"

Staring at the ground and trying to catch my breath, I stumbled to find words to describe what I felt. Everyone had left me, ostracized me; even Jin Ho had a speckle of doubt in his pure eyes. And I couldn't let that happen to me again; I couldn't let myself get abandoned once more. It had felt like someone had stolen my heart and crushed it in front of me, leaving me gasping and confused. _How could they think that of me? All I ever do is try to help. I just want to help… _I had lost something more important than my dignity that night; I lost my _honor_.

Zuko stared at me for several moments, looking at loss for words. His eyes searched mine for an answer to his unasked question. Silence broke as his mouth opened; it did not release more spiteful words like I had expected. Deep laughter sprang out, coming from deep inside his throat. It was my turn to be confused. Zuko sounded like I had told him a swell joke; like maybe that I was the Avatar reincarnated. It subsided into soft chuckles as he shook his head from side to side. His face was full of mirth as he taunted,

"I see. Your people have been circulating rumors about the prince and his prisoner."

He had caught on faster than I had. My eyes widened at his cruelty; _he was making fun of me._ My situation was hopeless and he took advantage of my trials, even though he was the source of my misery. I had expected him to be as outraged at the misconception as I had been, but instead he took it in hand. _Was he expecting such a reaction?_ It unnerved me how Zuko could keep his emotions so well hidden. It made him unpredictable and therefore dangerous.

Zuko release my shoulder and picked up the dagger. I stood still and stopped myself from attacking him once more. I didn't want to push my luck any more than I already had. My arm ached from the strain that it was put under; I was beginning to doubt the chances that it would heal correctly. Zuko deposited the dagger into his pocket and returned his attention to me. I wondered what he would do now. I had threatened to kill him, which could be punishable by death. The mark I made on his skin had stopped bleeding, but I could still follow the trail of dried blood down his neck and into his shirt…

"I might as well put you to use."

My eyes returned to his at his comment. He meant to use such rumors to benefit himself? In what way? I blushed as my mind wandered. Not trusting to prince, I started to put some more distance between us. His face screamed of boredom, and he scolded,

"Don't misunderstand. I mean to say that I will ask you for a few favors."

Help the prince? I don't think so. He might ask me to spy on my fellow prisoners or other treasonous acts. I wouldn't help him wreck more havoc upon my people then he already had. A silent _or _hung in the air; or he would have me prosecuted for attempting murder. I shouldn't have told him my plan as it only gave him more power over me. Shaking my head vigorously, I answered his question; I would rather die for trying to murder him. He frowned at my blatant disgust for himself, clearing thinking that I would accept his offer.

"If you don't help me then you have no use. You would serve no purpose other than justifying their prejudice."

_Justify their prejudice?_ I flushed as I realized the meaning behind his words. If all of the other prisoners thought that I was sleeping with the prince for favors, then he would make it so. He would go so far as to do such a thing, just to spite me? I wasn't that important to warrant such attention. The prince was probably bored with the affairs he was placed in command of and sought relief through toying with the lives of his prisoners. Zuko looked serious as he advanced upon me once more. Startled, my hands groped for something that I could defend myself with. Zuko pushed me back into the chair and rammed it against the wall.

He hovered over the seat and moved to sit down on my legs. Shying away from the teen's grasp, I spread my legs in an attempt to keep them from getting trapped. _Wrong move._ Zuko used this action to sit fully down and push me up against the back of the chair, crossing his legs over mine to restrict my movement. My hands worked to keep him off, pounding against anything they could reach. He tired of my pathetic attempts and pulled my hands above his head, enclosing them with one of his own. My breaths became shallow and fear coursed my body as I noticed my position. Zuko had pinned me against the wall, keeping his legs snug against my hips as my own were flared out. I snapped my eyes shut as he snickered against the shell of my ear. The sound reverberated out from his throat and caused shivers to dance along my spine.

"I see they have yet to fetch you a proper shirt," His fingers played with the cloth tie that held the garment together, "I'll be wanting my jacket back."

I grimaced as I realized that last night would be repeating itself. Tightening his hold on my hands, Zuko used his free one to loosen the belt. Warm air trailed across my cheek and down to my neck as Zuko pulled away the collar; enough so he could see my collarbone. I tensed as I felt his lips hover over my pulse, a ghost of the feeling yet to come. Before he could continue his dark ministrations, the door creaked open.

"Now listen here you filthy peasant-"

A Dai Lee agent had entered the room; most likely the man who was to carry out my punishment for causing a prison brawl. He was surprised to find Zuko in his stead, quickly dropping to one knee and exclaiming,

"Prince Zuko! I apologize for interrupting…I hadn't realized-I must be in the wrong room."

Zuko glared at him, unconcerned that he had been caught in a compromising situation. His faced moved to acknowledge the man and signaled that he could rise. I was still buzzed from the adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins and honed in on the whip by the traitor's side. Zuko seemed annoyed at being interrupted but didn't move his hands off of my being. The prince spoke,

"No need to apologize. Am I needed?"

The Dai Lee agent merely shook his head, astonishment still displayed on his features. He looked warily at the prince's neck but did not comment on the cut. Instead he apologized once more and dismissed himself, bowing and rushing out. As the door slammed shut once more, Zuko diverted his attention back to me. He muttered,

"Where was I?"

He glanced back at my exposed neck and attacked once more. His lips touched my skin softly and I flinched from the action. Speaking against my skin he said,

"Ah, yes. I remember now."

My mouth went dry as continued without falter. _I need an out_. Zuko was making quick work of my jacket and would soon have it off, leaving me bare again. My entire body shook as I tried to find my voice. Stammering, when I would have rather cryed out, I communicated

"W-wait!"

Zuko's lips whispered against my collarbone and did not stop his actions. Cursing under my breath, I realized he wouldn't just stop for anything. While he went dangerously close to my chest, I reasoned with myself. If I accepted his offer then I would be able to buy myself more time. I could at least think of a plan so that I wouldn't have to blindly follow his wishes, and so that I could redeem myself in the eyes of my peers. I grudgingly spoke out,

"F-Fine."

Zuko slowed down, but didn't cede. He placed a kiss against the valley between my breasts, stopping right above them. Revulsion made my tongue go sour at the false display of affection. He spoke against my skin, the act causing vibrations to echo across it.

"Fine 'what'?"

He was toying with me again, trying to elicit reactions. I swallowed harshly, taking a second to steady my voice. I looked up and away from Zuko, as the view of his face buried into my chest made my vision go blurry and my words escape me. Hissing out, I relented,

"I'll help you-_I'll help you._"

He straightened his back and released my hands, placing them on my shoulders. I jumped at his touch, embarrassed that I had given in so easily. With haste, Zuko tied back up my coat and fixed my collar. He stood up and let me breath, teasing with a dark grin,

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

_Damn bastard._ I began to doubt if he would've gone through with his promise. He was probably just trying to scare me into submission. After all, why would he want to soil himself with a person of such low stature? But I kept my mouth shut since his question was one not meant to be answered. I rolled my shoulders back and forth, deep aches already seizing them. Zuko took one glance at me before stating,

"When I need you, I will call for you."

With that he left me alone to my devices. I wondered how I had come into this room with the intention of ridding myself of the rumor that I was working for the Fire Nation, only to find myself at the beck and call of its Crown Prince.


End file.
